


On Top of the Universe

by sagitaurus



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Time Shenanigans, beforus!eridan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-06
Updated: 2013-04-07
Packaged: 2017-12-07 16:58:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/750868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sagitaurus/pseuds/sagitaurus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beforus!Eridan is transportalized through spacetime to the new world that had been created through the beta human's session.  One year after the game, the humans and trolls are now living in a newly built community.  Their own Eridan disappears when this dopleganger from another timeline appears.  He's politer, less aggressive, yet still obviously an Ampora.  This story follows Beforus!Eridan through this new world and the shifts in relationships his presence brings.</p><p>More characters will be tagged as they appear.</p><p>((Roleplayed in paragraph form by timeanddivision and gyroscopiccarouseller on tumblr))</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Something Went Wrong

Something went wrong.

 

Like, terribly wrong.

 

This wasn't the Beforan Naval Academy Entrance Ceremony. This wasn't even a room he was familiar with at all. The troll looked down at the transportalizer he was using to get to his next destination, he was using the newest brand they had built, something more efficient, safe and quick. Maybe he had accidently teleported elsewhere. Yeah, that was probably it. Why was it so dark here though?

The troll stood up carefully, his head making him dizzy beyond belief. He grasped the side of his skull, taking in a deep breath, trying to collect himself. With a quick motion he straightened out the scarf that was pinned down by large golden breast plates with also held his cape into place. He smoothed his hair back, fondled with his three piercings he just recently got and looked down to make sure his black shirt and striped pants were unharmed.

 

He was still presentable. Perfect.

 

Eridan began to wander the halls, wondering where everyone went. This was a facility he wasn't at all familiar with, the air tasted stale and world seemed cold.

"Hello?" Eridan called out. "Helloooo."

 

There was a dull thump and a short sound of shuffling and a door opened, soft blue light from a computer screen backlighting a rail-thin, rumpled shadow.  If he had been watching, he would have seen the head swivel, looking for the source of the noise.  Its attention finally fell on Eridan.  "Holy shit ED, what do you want?  FF's not here so you can cut the bullshit lost act."  The voice lowered to a mutter, "not that anyone'd believe it anyway."

 

"ED?" Eridan asked, quirking his head. Who was this. Wait a minute. That face looked so familiar. Sollux? What was he doing here? Did he accidently teleport off to another section of the land? "Sol? Where am I? What place is this?" The troll walked up to Sollux and noticed something wrong with his eyes. Eridan grew wide eyed and shuffled quickly to the yellow-blood, clutching his face. "My god! Your eyes! Sol, what happened to you! What did they do to you?"

 

Reeling away from the hands grabbing at his face, he swatted at the air like he was aiming for flies, "hey, keep your hands to yourself, asshole. Have you been drinking with Rose again or something?  Wait, don't tell me, because I really couldn't give a fuck."  He scratched his scalp tiredly, "just keep it down, okay Fishbreath?"

 

"Sol I'm bein' dead fuckin' serious. What happened to you? Where am I? I'm supposed to be at the Naval Acadamy Openin' Ceremony and here I am in the middle a now where it seems. Tell me what's goin' on. Please!" Eridan was beginning to get worried.

 

"Yeah okay, haha, the joke on the blind guy's been played.  You really are an insufferable asshole sometimes you know that?"  He felt for the door and caught the edge, beginning to swing it closed.  "I'm going back to sleep, so go find someone else to try and piss off, alright?"

 

"No wait, Sol I'm serious," There was slight terror and worry in his tone of voice, Eridan looking around. "Just... just... just humor me for a second, what sweep is it?"

 

"It's still the first sweep.  Not exactly a plethora of time to get confused over."  He was sniffing the air contemplatively, trying to form the picture of Eridan in his head, but it kept coming out all wrong.

 

"The first sweep?" Eridan looked around. His body scent was a bit different to the Eridan of this timeline. He had a rich scent of perfume and his body smelled of thick salt water. "Where am I...?"

 

"In the respite block hall, where else would the respite blocks be?"  He was getting a growing headache, hand rising to rub at his temples.  He'd been asleep for a total of twenty minutes when Eridan had started shouting.  He was in a foul mood.

 

"Crap..." Eridan stumbled back. He wasn't on Beforus, he could feel it. "Crap, crap, crap."

The troll looked all around, wondering where he could possibly go. He was lost, he wasn't home.

 

Letting his hand fall, with an exaggerated heaving of breath, he shifted his weight and leaned his weight against the door.  "Are you going to live?  I really don't want your corpse rotting outside my doorway and stinking up the place."

 

“No, no, no, no, that’s not it.” Eridan said looking around. “I seem to have... um, well... it’s a bit of a long story.”

The troll licked his lips, covering his mouth to think for a second. He looked back to Sollux, a Sollux who wasn’t his world’s Sollux, which would explain why he was so different.

“Y’know, I think I’m just tired. I’m going to head on to my hive.” Eridan gave a small bow even though the other couldn’t see it. “Have a wonderful sleep cycle Sol. I apologize for interupttin’ it.”

 

"Whatever fishbreath.  Don't let my door hit you in the ass."  He turned, shutting the door, not even caring anymore why Eridan was being an even bigger weirdo than usual.  Yawning, he collapsed onto a human bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

 

For Eridan it took him a while to find his room, he still couldn’t find out what this place was or where he left to. When he finally found Eridan’s hive he slammed the door and collapsed to the floor. What was happening? Was this some new test? A new course he forgot he had to take?

The troll took in several breaths, trying to calm himself down. He would be fine, he would manage. He just needed to act like nothing was wrong, figure out what the Eridan of this world was like and mimic him. If this was an alternate universe than surely there wasn’t much of a difference.

Right?


	2. In Which a Cutie Appears and Eridan is Discovered

A small, shadowy figure flittered down the hall, moving through the shadows in a reminicence of swimming.  The shadows appeared to ripple strait from the figures scalp, but a passing lamp on the wall revealed that it was thick black hair, wild and flowing almost to the floor.  They slowed, bringing up a small hand to knock on a particular door and in a small voice called out.

"Erifin-."

Eridan stopped, looking over around the halls, recognizing that voice. Was it her? Was it really her?

"F... Fef?" Eridan asked, looking to the source of the shadow.

"Who shell-se was it going to sea?"  Though she was backlit, her body spoke surprise.  "How chum you're already awake?  You never want to surface when it's your turn in the galley."

Her hands transfered to her hips.  "Is everyfin alright?"

"Uh... yes." Eridan said, his head beginning to throb a little with this new world. "I'm just... I was havin' a rough time sleepin' I suppose. I'm sorry. What about you my heiress, why are you awake?"

Eridan walked a little closer to the black figure, his jewels catching faint light and glowing a bright gold color. He was careful with his steps, trying not to make any loud sounds as he wandered towards her.

She tilted her head, puzzled by how strange Eridan was acting.  "I'm going hunting with Jade just like the shell-dule says I'm supposed to."

She pushed her hair out of her eyes, taking a step forward, "and fry are you calling me heiress?"

Oh shit.

Eridan cleared his throat, quickly trying to come up with an excuse. "OH! N-no reason. nothin' to worry about Fef." He said. "I'm just... tired is all.  My apologies."

"And you're glubbing funny too," her head tilted the other way

Eridan chuckled. "Is that a problem?"

"Nooo, it's just weird."

Shrugging, she beamed again, "whale I have to go, Jade's already wading for me outside.  I'll glub with later tuna-ght!"

"Yes, that'd be great." Eridan nodded with a curt smile. "Sea you soon."

Waving chipperly, Feferi disappeared back into the dark hallway, her light footfalls carrying her away quickly.

Eridan sighed, wondering what he'd be doing in this world. First he'd probably have to find out what his position was like, who he was and who he knew in this universe. Everything was important to him, no matter how small the information was.

"But what to do," He murmured to himself.

A bleary Sollux shuffled by.

"Get to the kitchen like you're supposed to.  I'm not going to do your work for you like everyone else does.  And I know Kk will personally blow shit out his ears if you show up late for preparing the first nutrition block again."

Eridan glanced over to Sollux, raising an eyebrow. He glanced around the area, pointing to himself. "Are you talkin' to me?"

"Do you see anyone else standing around like a tool?"

He didn't even bother to face Eridan as he spoke, walking by and continuing down the hall.

Eridan blinked several times before shuffling his way close to Sollux, walking by his side. "You know Sol I don't very much appreciate the name callin'."

"Fortunately, I don't really care," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Wow... are all trolls this disrespectful on this planet?" Eridan asked, murmuring the last of his sentence.

Sollux stopped dead in his tracks, lips pinching together and eyes narrowing.  Scrutinizing Eridan, he folded his arms when he was complete.

"Alright, who are you?"

"What do you mean?" Eridan asked. "I'm Eridan Ampora."

"No you're not.  You're doing that part of his personality where he acts like he's got something lodged up that waste chute of his pretty well, but you're not throwing a shit fit every time I insult you."

Oops.

Look like he's been caught.

Well might as well continue it.

"Well maybe I have a little more self-control. And you sir don't have to be so incredibly rude," Eridan said.

"Yesterday you got mad, called me a piss swill and threw a rock at my head."  He raised an eyebrow.

"I did?" Eridan asked.

"Why are you asking me?  If you're ED then obviously you know exactly what happened yesterday."

"I am Eridan." Eridan said. "Just.... not your Eridan."

A second eyebrow joined the first.

"I'm... I'm Eridan Ampora, soon to be admiral, training to be an Orphaner on the planet Beforus." Eridan introduced himself as.

Sollux stared for a few moments before massaging his eyebrows like he was trying to work them clear off his face.

"Of course you are."

He really didn't have the energy for dealing with this.  Whether it was true or if Eridan had slipped and smacked his head, he really couldn't bring himself to care.

"Sollux Captor, late for kitchen duty."

"What is kitchen duty?" Eridan asked, walking closer to Sollux.

Good lord what had he been unwittingly saddled with.  "Making food, washing nutrition disks, what do you think?"

"Oh," Eridan said, looking up to the halls. "Yeah a course."

Eridan blinked cluelessly at Sollux, hoping that somewhere in that black heart of his was the golden jewel that would give him a little sympathy to help him out.  Even if the Eridan of this timeline was a compete jackass.

Sollux sighed in defeat.  "Sure, whatever, just let me do the talking."

Eridan smiled, hugging Sollux out of habi of his world. "Thank you!"

Sollux's whole body jerked into rigidity, "sure just get off me alright?"

"Oh, yes, a course. Sorry." Eridan siad, letting go.

"I will." Eridan mimicked Sollux's steps, keeping himself red next to the troll as they made their way through the halls.


	3. In which breakfast is made.

Slouching more than usual, he slowly entered the kitchen, waiting for Karkat's voice to start screaming at him.  However, it didn't start as a scream.  It started with a soft, vehement mumbling in the corner accentuated by the noise of brisk chopping.  Sollux flinched.  This was so much worse.

Eridan detected Sollux's stress, keeping himself quiet and alert. Looks like it wasn't a good time to begin talking.

Sollux appreciated Eridan keeping his mouth shut for once.  Quietly finding his way to a counter he began mixing the ingredients before him in a practiced way.  He'd obviously done this job many times before.  Everything seemed to placed exactly where he expected.  Eridan wouldn't know this, but Karkat was sure every morning they worked together to place the ingredients the blind yellowblood needed on the same counter in the same configuration despite Sollux's protests.  Karkat had grouched that he knew Sollux didn't need the help, but he wasn't willing to clean up the ferretfuck the kitchen would look like after he was finished banging into everything.

Eridan may have glanced once or twice towards Karkat, wondering what he was so upset about but he never made any motion or indication that he wanted to know. He watched Sollux get to work, mixing and cutting things together ever so swiftly and trained like he had done it a million times. His nails lightly scratched the edge of the counter, impressed by how the blind troll worked.

"You might want to do something before Karkat blows and comes after you."  He didn't look up from what he was doing.

Finally he stopped and looked at Eridan like he was completely and utterly useless.

"Think you can manage frying eggs?"

"Yeah, I can do that."

"Great.  Then do it."  And maybe he'd stop hanging over Sols shoulder.

Eridan nodded, scurrying to look for the pans. He had a pretty difficult time looking for it but managed to scavenge the pans. He then went to gather the eggs to cook.

His mind was off of Eridan almost instantly, going through the new coding he'd been working on the night before.  It hadn't been hard coding, it was more just practice for his senses.

Eridan bit down his lip, stirring the egg and adding a little salt to give it some more flavor. He smiled when he finished it up, and it wasn't even burnt.

Boo ya.

Karkat banged by him, dumping his cuttings into a pot.  Looking down his scowl deepened, "how the fuck is that supposed to feed all the gaping holes these assholes call mouths?"

"Um..." Eridan blinked. "I could... make more..."

"Yah, you do that."  And he banged away again.

Eridan didn't flinch but he did grow a little nervous. Jeeze, this place was harsh. "O... kay."

Sollux sauntered over, now that Karkat's ire was pinned on someone else he was completely at ease.  Picking out a bit of egg, he chewed it with an almost smug abandon, starting on his variation on pancakes.

Eridan went to working on making more eggs for whoever it was he was supposed to be making eggs for. Seriously, who was he making food for? He wasn't even supposed to be here. He's supposed to be figuring out what he was doing here.

"Still not enough."  He listened to the eggs cracking.  Really, it was never going to feed everyone.  They would be up and clamouring for food soon.

"How much am I supposed to make?" He finally asked. "Am I feedin' a town?"

"Yes."  His smile was put malicious glee.

Eridan raised an eyebrow, clearing his throat. "Damn." He rolled up his sleeves, determintation in his eyes. "Very well then, best get to work."

Sollux didn't answer, but he paid close attention, just waiting for something catastrophi to happen.  Feferi would likely reprimand him for it, but he still couldn't bring himself to like Eridan.  Any version of him.

Eridan pulled out mutliple pans and began cooking away the eggs, keeping his eyes on eacvh and every pan to make sir the eggs were stirred and never buirnt. He considered it a sort of training to help the trolls in need of help. He was perfect for the job. No better work for him than tending to those in need of help and what better person to do that than him! Eridan felt pretty damn proud of himself as he finished up the cooking.

He frowned slightly.  Why was he so damn chipper?  Their Eridan hated kitchen duty.

"Is this enough Sol?" Eridan asked, grinning ever so stupidly.

The grin took Sollux aback.  Looking confused, he nodded.  "Yeah I guess so."

"Is there anythin' else I can help with?"

"Yeah you can haul the nutrition platters out to the other room."  He gestured vaguely with his spatula.

Eridan glances at the plates, biting his lower lip and nodded. "Very well. I can do that"

And so, he did.

Holy shit why was he being so accommodating?  It was making Sollux angrier then when ED was acting like a complete dick.

Eridan did his best to be efficient and quick upon setting up the tables. There were quite a lot. Eridan kept his mind on the prize, working through each table, each section, half the room and eventually the whole room.

Finishing the pancakes, he had loaded them and the eggs onto the serving cart, looking over to Karkat.  "You almost done KK?"  He recieved a muttered 'yeah' in reply and shrugged.

Eridan walked back into the room, shuffling towards Sollux, panting with a wide grin. "Finished."

"You do the utensiles and glasses?"

"Yep."

"Did you put out the pulvarised fruit blood?"

Eridan nodded.

"Condiments?"

Another nod.

"Paper clothes?"

"If you insist on askin' me what I may have forgotten why not just check the room?" Eridan asked.

There was the back sass he was waiting for.  "Maybe it's because I'm busy in here."

"Well I'm sure you can take the time to sneak a peek at what I have to offer. I'm being sincere, I don't want to screw this up and get any one in trouble because I personally am not used to this kinda a work. I was trained to help those in need and god dammit I will have it done." Eridan said assertively.

Sollux pulled confused face.  What the hell was someone supposed to say back to that?

Eridan smiled back, fiddling with the gold piercings on his ears.

"That's uh, that's great ED."  He was slowly becoming more unnerved by Eridan's continued smile.  Was he planning something?  Holy shit had he snapped and put something in the food?  Sollux took a step back.

"Is there anythin' else I can assist with?" Eridan asked.

"No, you can go do something that isn't here. We'll just finish this."  He honestly just wanted Eridan out of the kitchen so he could hurridly warn Karkat.  If Eridan was on a murder spree again, he wasn't letting him get away with it.

Eridan nodded, going out of the room and began to wander a little. What a curious place this was anyways. It looked like his home but it wasn't. He'd have to learn how to handle this new life style which would be difficult but he was willing to take the challenge.


End file.
